novelraw Chapter 493: Tensions Rise to a Boiling Point in the Holy Land!
Chapter 493: Tensions Rise to a Boiling Point in the Holy Land!
Wave after wave of violent Conqueror's Haki surged like a tsunami from the depths of Pangea Castle, instantly sweeping across the entire Holy Land.
In front of the World Government headquarters building.
"What is this?"
"Such a terrifying aura! It's coming from the direction of the Flower Room!"
"The Fleet Admiral is still inside!"
"Hurry! Relay my orders!"
"All troops, assemble toward the Flower Room!"
Without waiting for orders, the navy soldiers stationed in the Holy Land and the naval officers who had just attended the assembly and not yet dispersed almost instinctively transformed into white torrents, rushing toward the source of the explosive aura.
At the same time, countless figures in black suits moved from the shadows throughout the Holy Land.
Led by Rob Lucci, the CP0 agents darted like phantoms across the rooftops, their target also being the Flower Room.
"Lucci, what's happening?" Kalifa quickly caught up with Lucci and asked.
Lucci did not respond, his expression cold as ice, though the pigeon Hattori in his arms let out two uneasy coos.
He could sense that the Conqueror's Haki emanating from the Flower Room wasn't just from one or two sources—this meant multiple Conqueror's Haki users were currently locked in a standoff inside.
So many Conqueror's Haki users gathered in one place, recklessly unleashing their Haki, clearly wasn't about competing over whose was more dominant or pure.
Instead, it signaled a brewing conflict that could shake the world!
Soon, the CP0 team joined forces with CP1 agents.
CP1 had been formed by merging the former CP1 through CP8 departments into a single agency, making their presence exceptionally formidable.
However, before they could approach the Flower Room, they were intercepted by a group of figures clad in bizarre armor.
Leading them was Killingham, a member of the God's Knights from the Rimosifu family.
"Halt." Killingham had barely appeared when he stopped all the converging CP agents in their tracks!
Lucci stopped and gave a slight bow. "Lord Killingham, we are under orders to investigate the disturbance."
"Unnecessary." Killingham shot him a cold glance. "From this moment, this area is sealed off. No one is permitted to approach the Flower Room. That is an order."
Without the slightest hesitation, Lucci complied.
As an agent trained by the World Government, obeying orders was his duty.
More importantly, the ingrained belief in the Celestial Dragons' supreme authority ran deep.
Even after witnessing unimaginable changes in the Holy Land recently, he instinctively followed commands, swiftly dispersing with other CP0 members to completely block the path to the Flower Room!
Just then, the ground began to tremble with rhythmic, heavy thuds.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A massive force led by naval officers flooded into the vast square before the Flower Room like a tidal wave.
Two figures at the forefront were particularly striking.
One was tall, wrapped in a thick scarf, with terrifyingly calm eyes—Charlotte Katakuri, newly appointed as a Navy Admiral.
The other wore a purple kimono, held a cane-sword, and kept his eyes shut—Issho, the new Navy Headquarters Chief of Staff.
Behind them, naval vice admirals like Ain and Tashigi, along with thousands of elite marines, formed neat phalanxes, their murderous aura overwhelming the square.
The naval forces halted at the center of the square, facing off against the CP agents and God's Knights from a distance.
Killingham stepped forward, unleashing both the arrogance inherent to Celestial Dragons and the imposing pressure of the God's Knights.
"What is your intention? This is a restricted zone of the Holy Land, the core of Pangea Castle! Take one more step, and it will be treated as rebellion!"
His voice echoed across the square, carrying a tone of judgment. "I command you now, immediately, to turn back on the spot! Otherwise, you will all be dealt with as traitors!"
As he spoke, several God's Knights behind him drew their weapons, adopting combat stances as they warily watched the dark, densely packed naval phalanxes opposite.
The already tense atmosphere grew even more charged after the God's Knights assumed their battle-ready positions.
Yet, the naval formation did not waver in the slightest.Katakuri raised his head, his gaze extending past Killingham and toward the walled garden.
The successive waves of Conqueror's Haki emanating from there made even him—a fellow possessor of Conqueror's Haki—deeply wary!
The Conqueror's Haki radiating from the Flower Room was being released by at least three individuals.
Three Conqueror's Haki users unleashing their power simultaneously—were they preparing for a major confrontation?
With this thought, he turned his head and asked the man beside him.
"Advisor Issho, should we enter?"
Issho gently tapped his cane sword on the ground, his eyes closed as he 'looked' toward the direction of the Flower Room.
After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice, "Remain calm, Admiral Katakuri. If we force our way in now, the slightest misstep could cause the situation to spiral completely out of control."
Hearing this, Katakuri understood.
He then took a step forward, standing alone before Killingham and the entire God's Knights, and declared solemnly, "The situation inside the Flower Room remains unclear. Until we see Lord Orion with our own eyes or receive direct orders from him, we will not retreat."
"Of course," Katakuri's tone shifted, "we will not advance further either. We will wait here—this is the greatest concession we can make at present. I ask that you do not make this difficult for us, Killingham!"
Killingham's gaze sharpened, and he coldly retorted, "Are you threatening me? Do not forget your place! You, a mere pirate, were promoted to the rank of Admiral—the greatest honor of your life—and yet you dare to adopt such an attitude before me!"
Katakuri took another step forward. "You may interpret it as a threat! Because if you insist on forcing us to leave, even if I agree, the thousands of marines behind me will not."
"Killingham, you don't know what's happening inside the Flower Room either, do you?"
"Until the situation becomes clear, the safest course of action is for both sides to step back. Otherwise, if this escalates, not only will we not be punished—we may even be rewarded."
"After all, this is a naval tradition. I believe you understand better than I how fiercely Lord Orion protects his own!"
"So I can assure you, if this situation escalates—"
"You will die."
"You!" Killingham roared in humiliated fury, his unique Devil Fruit ability activating silently.
A gust of wind swept through, and many of the marines standing behind Katakuri eerily fell asleep within seconds, their snores rising and falling in succession.
At that moment, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted, followed by another wave of Conqueror's Haki bursting from the Flower Room, instantly jolting the hypnotized marines awake.
Before Killingham or the marines could react, a figure shot out from the Flower Room.
"Killingham!"
"How dare you! Withdraw your ability at once!"
The one who shot out from the Flower Room was Gunko, riding a massive arrow wrapped in bandages.
After sharply scanning Killingham, Katakuri, and the others, Gunko, hovering in mid-air, spoke coldly.
"What happens in the Flower Room is none of your concern. Your mission is to immediately deploy defenses across the Holy Land to prevent invasion by external forces!"